Help a total newbie with string choice!

[blockhd]

Hello, fellas!

Im totally new to choosing strings for my double bass.. I once had a double bass, but it had Thomastic orchestra strings on it ( 180 $!!!!!!), and they really sucked... THey were very hard to play and didnt have a lot of response...

Now, im getting a new upright ( hybrid electro/acoustic, like Eminence, but a bit bigger body), and i need new strings, in price range > 180$ definately.

I will eb playing only pizzicato, i will be using MAG/PIEZZO pickup combination. I need warm, woody, thumpy tone

Any suggestions? Thanks!

May the Oomph be with you^^

[jtlownds]

If you are going to be using that mag pickup, you will have to use steel strings. That should narrow it down a little.

[jsbarber]

If you are going to be playing pizzicato then you should try spirocore mittel, or weich if you want a softer string. Spirocores are the baseline steel pizzicato string for jazz and a very good place to start, as you will eventually try them anyway.


Jim

[justbasses]

I had good luck with Spirocore's. I like to use the weicht for the G and D and medium's for the A and E.

I also would recommend the Labella's same set up as above.

[Eli_Upright12]

Obligatos might fit your need, they are pretty good plucked and not too high tension. They are also cheap. Another option is Evah Pirazzis though they are higher tension on some basses.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Eli_Upright12

Obligatos might fit your need, they are pretty good plucked and not too high tension. They are also cheap. Another option is Evah Pirazzis though they are higher tension on some basses.

The plastic cores of both of those will weaken the response of the magnetic pickup. I'd choose a completely steel string.

Originally Posted by blockhd

Im totally new to choosing strings for my double bass.. I once had a double bass, but it had Thomastic orchestra strings on it ( 180 $!!!!!!), and they really sucked... THey were very hard to play and didnt have a lot of response...

Hard to know exactly what string you are talking about here but rarely would I accuse a Thomastic orchestra string of "low response".

Could you be more specific about what you are looking for? Some recordings we could reference for a tone you are shooting for or the name of a player.

"Warm woody thumpy tone" is more about a bass than a string. Perhaps tell us what bass you have as well.

In general "thumpy" strings (Belcanto) are lower in "response" than bright lively strings with lots of sustain (Spirocores).

[blockhd]

Im getting electric upright next month... It has fully acoustic body, like eminence bass.

For use with magnetic pickup, i would liek to get something like this ( sound): Its only for my folk band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0733xuyn0ho

For using with piezo ( either realist or full circle), i really like the sound of eminence bass on these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sdTuA5O3pI

[blockhd]

Here is the rough shape


Its 3/4 size, i hope it will satisfy me

[Francois Blais]

I'm here!

Saw his post, but was puzzled when he said the Spiros really sucked and were not responsive...

Until he gives more info on what he seeks, I'm just sitting and reading...

[blockhd]

I misled you... They were too thumpy and very hard to pluck... They didnt have enough sustain. Im not sure if they were spirocores... The guy that sold bass to me put them on.. I only know they were Thomastic with light blue winding on the ends Better?

I posted links to videos of what sound i like... I would also like strings to be easier to pluck, to have more sustain, but also enough attack. IF you feel puzzled, help me tell you what you want to know.. Im newbie, remember?

[Pentabass]

What about D'Addario Helicore ?

They have a steel core, and I suspect that they would work with your pickup, and come in different versions: Orchestra, Hybrid and Pizzicato.

Anybody have experience with these?

[blockhd]

Lighter tension means what? Easier to Pluck? More string vibration? Better sustain?

[Francois Blais]

I'll listen to the videos tonight.
Your strings are Superflexibles, not Spirocores, by the way.
But a major impact on the tone comes from the setup.
Also from the player's hands...
Superflexibles can have lots of sustain, believe me.
In fact, they could be a nice choice for you.

But you just said I would also like strings to be easier to pluck, to have more sustain, but also enough attack. while yesterday you wrote I need warm, woody, thumpy tone.

To me those are contradictory statements.

[blockhd]

Im newbie.... The sound i would like would be thumpy ( attack, i suppose?), with some sustain, not so hard to pluck. Check videos, they will tell you more :P

Is sound being warm and woody so contradictory to this?

[Eric Swanson]

Originally Posted by blockhd

I misled you... They were too thumpy and very hard to pluck... They didnt have enough sustain. Im not sure if they were spirocores... The guy that sold bass to me put them on.. I only know they were Thomastic with light blue winding on the ends Better?

I posted links to videos of what sound i like... I would also like strings to be easier to pluck, to have more sustain, but also enough attack. IF you feel puzzled, help me tell you what you want to know.. Im newbie, remember?

Depends on when this was. Could have been the old Thomastik Rope Cores, with the light blue silks. They were stiff, with minimal pizz sustain...

Thomastik-Infeld Belcanto might work for you. Warm, good sustain, all metal, pretty soft on the hand at that string length (41 1/2", according to my conversion calculator). Relatively inexpensive.

[blockhd]

Well, i would preffer all-metal strings.... Because a lot depends on my MAG pickup too. 1/2 of my gigs ill play with MAG.

[Francois Blais]

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

Depends on when this was. Could have been the old Thomastik Rope Cores, with the light blue silks. They were stiff, with minimal pizz sustain...

Thomastik-Infeld Belcanto might work for you. Warm, good sustain, all metal, pretty soft on the hand at that string length (41 1/2", according to my conversion calculator). Relatively inexpensive.

I'm puzzled!
You find the Belcantos give you more sustain than the Superflexibles?

Blochd, the contradiction in you requirements, as I (thought I) clearly said, is between "good sustain" and "thumpy tone".

I listened to the girl playing the Eminence.
As far as I'm concerned, she may use Spirocores, but maybe not...

My last suggestion will be: when you get the instrument, put something on it, and play it for a while.
The Spiros are probably one of the strongest, most responsive string available, but they're also harder to play than, say, Corellis.
If you don't have much experience on the DB, don't place all your hopes on the strings brand.
Spiros can sound dull too, depending on the player.
Ray Brown had an almost gut-like tone with Spiros.
Another player will sound at the opposite of the spectrum with them.

Do you see my point?

Best of luck!
François

[blockhd]

http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomastik_s...basssaiten.htm

These? I found them pretty expencive, but ill give them a try!

[blockhd]

What about Pyramid?

[Uncletoad]

For Pizz it's hard to beat Spirocore strings. They come in several gages, the two you'd be interested in are called Mittel the Orchestra gage and Weich which is a lighter version of that string.

I'd pick one and go with it for awhile until you get used to playing your bass.